The home-field advantage the Florida Gators receive at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is taking a hit in 2020. The University of Florida Athletic Association announced on Thursday afternoon restrictions at The Swamp for the upcoming 2020 season.
Florida will limit attendance to 20% capacity of its 88,548 seat stadium — in order to meet social distancing guidelines — meaning roughly 17,710 people can attend games.
“As we have throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked hand in hand with UF Health, the SEC and its Medical Guidance Task Force, and campus officials to create the safest environment possible for the student-athletes, staff, and fans,” Athletics Director Scott Stricklin said in a release.
Traditional gameday experiences outside of the stadium will be altered as well. There will be no on-campus tailgating allowed. There will be no Gator Walk, Gator Walk Village, or Gator fan fest on Saturdays. Additionally, no spirit teams will be on the sidelines this fall.
Specific information pertaining to ticket ordering and pricing, as well as parking, is expected to be available for fans next week. Information pertaining to capacity and safety measures directly pertaining to suites will be communicated directly to suite holders.
Seating and ticketing for the Florida-Georgia game, which is still scheduled to be held in Jacksonville, has not been finalized.
Read below for new policies pertaining to attending a game in the 2020 season.
MOBILE TICKETING
The UAA will require mobile ticketing this fall in an effort to reduce contact between fans and staff. With this, fans will be able to access their tickets through the Florida Gators app from their mobile device, or via FloridaGators.com/myaccount.
Fans can add their tickets to their respective Apple Wallet or Google Pay account for added safety and convenience. Fans will also be able to transfer or donate their tickets easily within the app or online.
To learn more about mobile ticketing, please follow this link for a quick informational video. Fans can find the Florida Gators app download links for Apple and Google here.
PARKING & TAILGATING
Public tailgating and gatherings will not be permitted on the UF campus this fall.
Complete details regarding game day parking are being finalized and will be released soon as a part of the UAA’s ticketing model. However, no RV parking will be allowed anywhere on campus except for those who already possess a football game day RV parking pass for the 2020 season. Overnight parking on home football weekends will be prohibited on campus at all times (pre- or post-game).
Campus parking lots for those with parking passes will open three hours prior to kickoff.
INSIDE THE STADIUM
The safety of our student-athletes, staff, and fans remains our top priority, meaning fans will see new guidelines, signage and enhanced cleaning procedures throughout the stadium.
Please note this includes all fans abiding by a strict physical distancing policy of six feet between groups. Physical distancing will also be required when entering and exiting the stadium. As a reminder, all fans must wear face coverings (over the nose and mouth) when entering, once inside and when exiting the stadium, with the lone exception being while they are eating or drinking.
Concession stands, the Gator Sportshop, the restrooms, and concourses will all have new signage to help reinforce safety measures.
Throughout the stadium, there will be an increased number of hand sanitizer stations in areas such as restrooms, gate entrances, and concession stands. Please also note that restrooms with two doors will be one way in and one way out. Restrooms will also feature updated sinks with one-touch faucets.